Lawmakers to press area issues

Posted: Sunday, January 07, 2007

From naming a Barrow County intersection after a former commission chairman to setting new commission districts in Jackson County, several pieces of local legislation are expected to show up on this year's Georgia General Assembly agenda.

Among the biggest pieces of local legislation in this year's session, which kicks off Monday, comes from Oconee County, where commissioners want state legislators to allow them to stagger their terms.

Last year, lawmakers approved a bill which would make two of the posts up for election two years apart from the other two posts. However, the bill did not include the commission chairman's seat, so it will be reintroduced this year.

Voters still would have final say about staggered terms, perhaps in a vote during a September special election, Oconee County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis said.

In Jackson County, leaders are hoping the legislature will approve new commission districts - a mostly ceremonial move.

In November, commissioners approved four commission districts each with roughly 25 percent of the county's population. Assuming legislators approve the non-contentious proposal, the new districts will be in effect for the 2008 election.

In Barrow County, commissioners are hoping to name the intersection of Georgia Highway 8, Georgia Highway 53 and Midland Avenue after former Commission Chairman Eddie Elder.

In August, Barrow County commissioners decided to ask state Rep. Terry England, R-Auburn, to name the intersection the "Eddie Elder Interchange" after Elder, who died two-and-a-half years ago while serving as chairman.

"It shouldn't be any problem at all," England said of the request.

England also plans to offer up an annexation-related bill, he said, but declined to elaborate on any specifics.

England criticized a controversial decision earlier this year in which Auburn City Council members annexed 17 parcels of land - a move aimed at cleaning up the city's boundaries.

The town of Braselton has asked state Rep. Tommy Benton, R-Jefferson, to set up a tax allocation district and a community improvement district.

"We're going to look at those and see which one we want to do first, then we'll go from there," Benton said. "We might go for one (this) year and one the next."

Meanwhile, Benton said he also plans to propose legislation that would allow Georgia residents the opportunity to freeze access to their credit reports on demand. The measure, Benton hopes, would cut down on identity theft.

Current state law allows residents to freeze their credit report only after they are victims of identity theft, Benton said. "We're saying you can do it anytime to safeguard yourself," he added.

Incoming state Rep. Doug McKillip, D-Athens, who was elected in November and hasn't even made it to the Gold Dome yet, pre-filed legislation that would give low-wage workers a break on their state income taxes.

Meanwhile, state Rep. Bob Smith, R-Watkinsville, said legislation allowing restaurant patrons to take home unfinished bottles of wine would re-appear this year. The legislature approved the bill last year, but Gov. Sonny Perdue vetoed it and said letting people drive home with open bottles of wine might jeopardize federal transportation dollars.